And let’s not forget Court Square: construction, beautification, burgers
Sign for the forthcoming Burger Garage, Jackson Ave, Long Island City
While the waterfront tends to get all the attention in Long Island City, Court Square (aka Courthouse Square, after the uh… Courthouse) is a serious hub of activity in the hood. Also a sub-section of Hunters Point, Court Square has more development in the hopper than one can imagine… though for sure much is on hold, as it is everywhere. In the meantime though, it’s still constant change and upheaval on good ol’ Jackson Ave.
Some of the change has the potential to be yummy: The burger joint coming to the old Tomato & Wasabi space on Jackson Ave at 44th Drive now has a name thanks to a small sign in the window: The Burger Garage.
Jackson Ave Beautification Project sprouts some trees, Long Island City
The Jackson Ave Beautification Project – which began earlier this year by ripping huge holes into Jackson Ave to insert hybrid divider-planters between lanes – has now grown up and sprouted some leafless little trees.
Subway construction continues, Court Square, Long Island City
And apparently it’s ‘rip the bejeezus out of Jackson Ave’ season, because the construction is still ongoing near the Courthouse Square stop on the 7 train, as part of the effort to create a much-needed direct transfer from the 7 to the E, V, and G trains.
Behind the subway construction and further along on Jackson, the site of the now infamous skyline-blocking Toyoko Inn – which, when built, will be the tallest outer-borough hotel – has still yet to manifest in the space where a swath of food and retail storefronts once stood in Court Square.
Site of on again, off again strip club, 21st St, Long Island City
And here, on the back end of Court Square, is the ‘on again, off again’ strip club. The plans were supposedly pronounced dead back in May, but the potential owner and local officials have been going back and forth ever since. The proposed site is adjacent to Silvercup Studios, and the first thing you run smack-dab into when you take the Queensboro Bridge off-ramp directly into LIC – hence all the much-publicized opposition.
liqcity has been cranking lately! nice job.
There’s enough garages around here for the Burger Garage to have picked a real garage instead of a storefront. Makes me think of the Getty station bakery.
Has the name of that neighborhood changed to Court Square? Since when? And who changed it?
#3, you are really fishing for something to complain about…
If it isn’t in a garage, it’s a lousy name. Kind of like the “Dress Barn” of restaurants.
You guys really have nothing better to do than complain about a name.I think Burger Garage sounds like a fun name. The kind of place you want to go and have a good burger..simple.
and put on a spare tire.
Anyone know if El Ay Si is open yet? I’m excited to try their food!
So are you people saying you won’t go try their burgers because of the name?
10, who said that? Are you the owner? I’ll try it, even though you chose a dopey name, and hope it’s good.
no, I’m not the owner, I was just curious, because it seems like a strange thing to complain about. I’m really excited to have a burger joint come to the area, hope it’s good!
No. 12, you must be new to liqcity. We complain about everything.
sad…
entertaining !
What building is coming up across the street from 5 star diner?
name and signage fairly generic, not inspiring, brooks has a good burger, time will tell, nice to see lots happening in court sq. still the best practical location in lic, looking fwd to when the subway station construction is done, but who knows when that will be.
I’m #3, not complaining, thought it was funny. The bakery is in a garage and the Garage is in a store. But I do love a good burger. I’ve eatin at El Ay Si once and came away really positive, can’t wait for it to reopen.
“re-open”? El Ay Si hasn’t opened for the first time yet. Y what is going on with them? Is this going to be another Ihawan? That spot must be cursed a little bit… it was left in construction for over a year… I forget what was there before that. But El Ay Si seems stalled.
#19 – they did a “soft opening” a few weeks ago. the food was delicious and a very attractive space. i’m looking forward to an expanded menu. does anyone know if they have their liquor license?
The waitress we had at the soft opening said they do have it, they just couldn’t serve for the previews.
How in the name of all that is righteous, can El Ay Si have their liquor license BEFORE THEY ARE OPEN??? If anyone has been to Rustica lately, they still don’t have one. This makes no sense to me at all. And I was not a conspiracy theorist… but after Testaccio and now El Ay Si got it without any trouble, it makes me wonder what is really going on? Obviously something is wrong with the system.
.
don’t restaurants open all the time with liquor licenses? i don’t think that’s some strange new phenomenon or indicative of any corruption or under the table dealings. the fiasco on vernon boulevard with other restaurants trying to get their license is not normal… thankfully.
you would think that #24, but there many paranoid people here in LIC. And after all the trouble Blend had with getting their liquor license, I can see why there would be some questions. But thankfully both Testaccio and El Ay Si got their liquor licenses like restaurants should be able to get.
Apparently there’s a perception on the part of the Community Board that certain types of businesses may be permitted to make enormous investments on Vernon Boulevard, only to be strung out indefinitely because a busy faction has managed to create the illusion that we want a sub-urban bourgeois climate in Hunters Point. There are precedents in the evolution of neighborhoods, from working class or industrial into a bohemian frontier, then into a zone of profitable development potential, but in this case I think they are mistaken to try to structure the character of this evolution by stifling free enterprise on a small scale while making no effort to inhibit it on the large scale.
any news on the vere building near court square
Well said Townie. You can’t encourage 40 story towers on one hand and then try to kill retail develpoment with the other. Its like planting a tree and then refusing to feed it. Make a decision about what direction you want the area to take and stick with it.
26, I think you give the CB too much credit. You are suggesting they have some kind of a long-term vision, a master plan of sorts, for the neighborhood. Instead, I think they are flying by the seat of their pants and have any idea what they are doing. They’re simply ad hoc’ing away, just as they’ve always done.
People have started to move into the Vere this past week.
No, I’m certainly not suggesting that the CB has some long term vision. I’m not foolish enough to believe that. However having said that the CB is signing off on a lot of aspects of development which is taking place around here – they gave the nod to Queens West and HP south for example. Zoning variances go through them. I believe there is a land use committee that part of the CB structure, etc. so their fingerprints are all over the new development taking place. How do you move 10’s of thousands into an area and then try to limit the growth of the support services that the residents are now demanding? It doesn’t make any sense. I also don’t think they have LIC best interest at heart.
There are paranoid people, but there is a law too
mostly paranoid people I’d say!
No one is talking about those laws. I believe Townie is refering to the raid which took place a few weeks ago when the DOB, INS Fire Dept., DOL, police, DOH, SLA, etc swooped in and found that the lettering for the street address was too small. Other than that they were in full compliance with all applicable laws. Great use of resources. I wonder how much this adventure cost the taxpayers.
I’m curious why a completely non-provocative post got snipped out amongst the more provocative ones.
Weird, ain’t it? It’s like there’s a virtual principal’s office.
I don’t recall the original #35 saying anything unworthy of this splendid thread.
Maybe 35, but not the original 37, but I guess it’s history until they re-post…But…Why bother?
I think the name “The Burger Garage” is a great name! It suits the industrial element of the neighborhood! I actually met the owner at the recent LICBDC luncheon and he comes from The Palm Restaurant family (the famous steakhouse)! So am SURE the burgers will be amazing. Seems like it’s going to be a really cool spot. I’m looking forward to it!
Mark my words taking away parking on Jackson ave will kill off most of the business within a year
then they will have to rip up those dividers and plants and put back the metered parking…
The Burger Garage will be an awesome addition to Court Square and all of Long Island City. Everyone in the Court Square area I speak to CANNOT WAIT to dine there. Such a convenient location for all.
I met the Burger Garage owners recently and they are good people. Their family is part founder/owner of the Palm. I have a feeling these will be great burgers. Can’t wait.
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Interesting…
http://www.theburgergarage.com/